Indonesia Investigate Iran and Panama Tankers

Batam, MINA – The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) on Friday said it would take seven days to prove the violations committed by the Iranian-flagged MT Horse and Panamanian-flagged MT Freya.

Head of Public Relations and Protocol of the Indonesian National Bakamla, Colonel Bakamla Wisnu Pramandita, said that if after seven days the violations of the two tankers could be proven, then the case would be submitted to investigators.

If the initial evidence of the case fails, the two tankers will be released, added Wisnu as quoted from Anadolu Agency.

Wisnu acknowledged Law no. 6 of 1996 concerning Indonesian Waters does not regulate in detail the sanctions for violations of the right of passage.

Article 24 of the Law on Indonesian Waters only states that the enforcement of sovereignty and law in Indonesian waters and sanctions for violations are carried out in accordance with the provisions of other international law conventions and applicable laws.

“There are no criminal provisions,” said Wisnu on Friday. Wisnu did not explain when the detention and examination would end.

“It should be noted that the Law on Indonesian Waters is very weak,” he added.

Head of the Kamla West Maritime Zone Office of Bakamla First Admiral Hadi Pranoto said the MT Horse crew totals 36 Iranian citizens, while 25 MT Freya crew members are Chinese nationals.

Previously, on Sunday last week, Bakamla officers on board the KN ship Marore Island-322 secured two ships of the MT type which were carrying out ‘ship to ship’.

The two ships were suspected of carrying out illegal fuel transfers and deliberately covering the name of the hull with a cloth and turning off AIS to trick Indonesian law enforcement officials.

Initial allegations, the two tankers violated the right of transit passage on the shipping lane of the Indonesian Archipelago Sea Channel (ALKI) I by exiting the 46 km ALKI boundary, anchored outside the ALKI without the permission of the relevant authorities, carried out a ‘ship to ship’ illegal fuel transfer, did not raise the national flag, AIS was turned off and MT Freya carried out oil spiling. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)